two churches,
one
community
Welcome to our website. We hope you find what you’re looking for as you navigate it. Whether you want information on baptisms, weddings or funerals, information on our special seasonal services, on our various regular activities, or if you want to join a church and are here to check us out.
The parish churches of St Matthew's, Darley Abbey, and St Edmund's, Allestree work together under the leadership of Rev Rachael Brooks to grow God's kingdom in our community. Our two congregations share links with the parishes of St Nicholas, Allestree, and St Paul's, Quarndon, which are led by Rev Sarah Watson. We are part of the Church of England and have links with other churches across the city of Derby. We enjoy our links with local schools and uniformed groups.
We’d love you to join us as we come together to grow as Christians in God’s family, young and old, as we think about what following Jesus means if we’re going to do what he says and love God and love our neighbours as ourselves. It’s not always easy! But my prayer is that we encounter God and grow closer to him day by day and week by week.
events
On 27 September at St Matthew's and 4 October at St Edmund's we will have our All Age harvest services starting at 10 am.
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The services will be informal, interactive and suitable for all ages.
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The theme will be
Harvest: Our God; just keeps giving
diary
On Sunday 27 September, we will have Choral Holy Communion at St Edmund's and St Matthew's will have their All Age service. Both will start at 10 am.
At 6 pm, St Edmund's will have Choral Evensong.
You are all very welcome.
The normal pattern of Sunday services across a month is:
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St Matthew’s
1st Holy Communion & Evensong
2nd Morning Prayer
3rd Holy Communion & Choral Evensong
4th All Age Worship
5th Joint
St Edmund’s
1st All Age Worship
2nd Holy Communion & Choral Evensong
3rd Morning Prayer
4th Holy Communion & Choral Evensong
5th Joint
​​SEPTEMBER
Tuesday 1 September
12 noon - St Edmund's Church Hall - Luncheon Club
2-3.30 pm - St Matthew's Fellowship Room - FoSM
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Wednesday 2 September
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion - led by Rachael Brooks
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Sunday 6 September – 14th Sunday after Trinity (Proper 18)​​
10 am - St Edmund's - All Age service, led by Rachael Brooks
10 am - St Matthews – Choral Holy Communion, led by Phyllis Bainbridge
11.45 am - St Matthew's - Burial of ashes of Eric Long
6 pm – St Matthew's – Evensong, led by Melonie Hambly
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Monday 7 September
2.30 pm - Vicarage - St Matthew's Standing Committee Meeting
Tuesday 8 September
7.30 pm - Zoom - St Edmund's Standing Committee Meeting
Wednesday 9 September
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion - led by Phyllis Bainbridge
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Thursday 10 September
10 am – St Edmund's Church Hall - Baby & Toddler Group
Sunday 13 September – 15th Sunday after Trinity (Proper 19)
Today is Food Bank Sunday. Please leave your donations in St Edmund's Church or St Matthew's Fellowship Room by Tuesday 15 September. Thank you.
10 am - St Matthews – Joint Choral Holy Communion and Confirmation service with Bishop Jackie
6 pm - St Edmund's - Choral Evensong, led by David Anderson
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Monday 14 September
2 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Bookworms: The Seven Sisters, by Lucinda Riley
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
7.30 pm - Community Room at Catherine McAuley House - Ascension Prayer Group
Tuesday 15 September
12 noon - St Edmund's Church Hall - Luncheon Club
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Church Hall Conference Room - PCC Meeting
Wednesday 16 September
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion, led by David Anderson
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Thursday 17 September
10 am – Allestree Park - Nature Tots
Friday 18 September
8.30 am - St Matthew's Fellowship Room - Community Cafe
Sunday 20 September – 16th Sunday after Trinity (Proper 20)
10 am - St Edmund's - Joint Choral Holy Communion, led by Rachael Brooks
After the 10 am service - St Edmund's - Burial of ashes of Mair Hughes
6 pm - St Matthew's – Joint Choral Evensong, led by Rachael Brooks​​
​​Monday 21 September
7 pm - St Matthew's Fellowship Room - PCC Meeting
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Wednesday 23 September
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion, led by Lee Martin
Thursday 24 September
10 am – St Edmund's Church Hall - Baby & Toddler Group
Saturday 26 September
9.30am – St Matthew’s – Churchyard Working Party​
6-8.30 pm - Darley Abbey Village Hall - St Matthew's Harvest Supper
Sunday 27 September – 17th Sunday after Trinity (Proper 21)
10 am – St Edmund's - Choral Holy Communion, led by John Rice
10 am - St Matthew's - All Age service, led by Rachael Brooks
6 pm - St Edmund's - Choral Evensong, led by Diana Mellor
Monday 28 September
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Tuesday 29 September
12 noon - St Edmund's Church Hall - Luncheon Club
10.45 am - Holy Communion at Stanley House and at Abbeydale at 11.20 am
Wednesday 30 September
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion, led by John Rice
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OCTOBER
Thursday 1 October
10 am – St Edmund's Church Hall - Baby & Toddler Group
Friday 2 October
1 pm – St Edmund’s – Funeral of Michael Smith
Saturday 3 October
9.30 am – St Edmund’s - Groundforce
Sunday 4 October - 18th Sunday after Trinity
10 am - St Edmund's – All Age service, led by Rachael Brooks & the All Age Team
10 am - St Matthew's - Choral Holy Communion, led by Adrian Thorp
6 pm - St Matthew's - Evensong, led by Clive Lemmon
Monday 5 October
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Tuesday 6 October
2-3.30 pm - St Matthew's Fellowship Room - FoSM - 'The Dark Side of Nursery Rhymes' by Tracey French
Wednesday 7 October
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion - led by Phyllis Bainbridge
Thursday 8 October
10 am – Allestree Park - Nature Tots
Sunday 11 October – 19th Sunday after Trinity (Proper 23)
Today is Food Bank Sunday. Please leave your donations in St Edmund's Church or St Matthew's Fellowship Room by Tuesday 13 October. Thank you.
10 am - St Edmund's – Holy Communion, led by Rachael Brooks
10 am - St Matthew's – Service of the Word, led by Melonie Hambly
6 pm - St Edmund’s – Choral Evensong, led by Rachael Brooks
Monday 12 October
2 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Bookworms: A Room with a View, by E M Forster
7.30 pm - Community Room at Catherine McAuley House - Ascension Prayer Group
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Tuesday 13 October
12 noon - St Edmund's Church Hall - Luncheon Club
​ Wednesday 14 October
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion - led by Rachael Brooks
​​Thursday 15 October
10 am – St Edmund's Church Hall - Baby & Toddler Group
Friday 16 October
8.30 am - St Matthew's Fellowship Room - Community Cafe
Sunday 18 October – Luke the Evangelist
10 am - St Edmund's – Service of the Word (with organ), led by Diana Mellor
10 am - St Matthew's – Choral Holy Communion, led by David Anderson
6 pm - St Matthew's – Choral Evensong, led by Clive Lemmon
Monday 19 October
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Wednesday 21 October
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion, led by David Anderson
Thursday 22 October
10 am – St Edmund's Church Hall - Baby & Toddler Group
Saturday 24 October
1 pm – St Edmund’s – Wedding of Adam Bennett & Amy Broad
Sunday 25 October – Bible Sunday
10 am – St Edmund’s – Holy Communion, led by Adrian Thorpe
After the 10 am service - St Edmund's - Burial of ashes of Patricia Cant
10 am - St Matthews – All Age service, led by Rachael Brooks & the All Age Team
6 pm - St Edmund's - Evensong, led by David Anderson
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Monday 26 October
7.30 pm - St Edmund's Choir Vestry - Handbells
Tuesday 27 October
12 noon - St Edmund's Church Hall - Luncheon Club
Wednesday 28 October
10.30 am - St Edmund's - Holy Communion, led by John Rice
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Thursday 29 October
11 am - St Edmund's - Burial of ashes of Sandra Thornton
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Sat 31 October
9.30am – St Matthew’s – Churchyard Working Party​
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daily prayer
We value daily prayer as a way to develop and deepen our faith. We encourage you to join us in using a daily prayer and reflection app. We are promoting the Church of England Everyday Faith app. Other apps are also available!
safeguarding
The Church of England has developed a training programme for leaders at all levels in the national and local church. We follow the recommended safeguarding policy and take our responsibility to love, welcome, and cherish, everyone who has contact with our community.
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We take safeguarding extremely seriously in our churches. Diane Whittaker is the Parish Safeguarding Officer for St Matthew’s and Louise Whittaker for St Edmund’s (with the aid of Madeleine Fullerton). All our PCC members and anyone who works with children and vulnerable adults will have had the required checks and will have done the appropriate training.
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If you’re worried that a child or vulnerable adult in this church might be suffering from some kind of abuse:
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DO NOT try to diagnose, investigate or sort it out yourself
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THINK HARD about what it is about the appearance or behaviour of the child or vulnerable adult that is making you worried or suspicious
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DO NOT promise confidentiality if someone talks to you about what might be abuse
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DECIDE who you should talk to, and
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TALK TO THEM – within 24 hours
Diane Whittaker (St Matthew's)
07968237457
Louise Whittaker (St Edmund's)
01332 556455
Madeleine Fullerton (St Edmund's)
01332 554762
Caroline Audley (Church Administrator) 01332 552031
The Diocesan Safeguarding Team
01332 388678